Madrasha Education

The present new syllabuses for Dakhil and Alim made to modernize madrasha education, can never make it so, nor contribute to quality education. In the changed syllabuses for 2008 Dakhil and 2009 Alim examinations there are only 100 marks for each compulsory subject Bengali and English, whereas for SSC and HSC students of secondary and higher secondary there are 200 marks for each compulsory subject Bengali and English. At Alim level, for science group students, math is not a compulsory subject and in Alim Shadharan Group only Islamic History is a compulsory subject while there is no Civics and Economics, History, etc. Islamic history and Social Studies are included as compulsory subjects in Dakhil. Such syllabuses can never produce any student of the standard of that of Higher Secondary and Higher Secondary schools. The students will be no where in the competitive world, even, in the competition in our country for admission to higher study courses Engineering, Medical etc. and for jobs. We cannot allow their talents to be wasted, which could be engaged for their individual development like other Bangladeshis and for development of Bangladesh. And we cannot let them be outside the main stream of education, so the main stream of Bangladeshi life and living. As teachers and students of madrasha education live and remain for ever in a world of unreality and irrationality world different from those of the mainstream education.

Madrasha education people have no future, can not think of a better life other than those people earning as teachers at madrashas and as imams in mosques. I would urge the would-be madrasha student think hard before they choose an education other than main stream education. We cannot afford mosque’s imams or madrasha teachers more money. This means they are to live nearly a poverty-striken life. Whereas Islam teachers us to against poverty, never to remain poor and needy. Islam envisages for every Muslim a good life. Every Musalman across the globe looks to Mecca, as he ought to, mainly because he is to say his prayer five times a day facing the Holy Kaba in Macca, because he may have to perform his Hujj in Mecca and also because the prophet of Islam preached and established Islam first in Mecca, Madina. So I think there should not be any objection or any anti-Islamic or anti-Bangladeshi thinking or feelings on my part, if I suggest that we may follow the education system of Saudi Arabia at school and intermediate levels. It will mean that every subject except Bengali and English will be written in Arabic and the medium of instruction will be Arabic. Of course curriculum, subjects, learning materials-all should be as required by our country and same as in our educational institutions. Teachers also must be Bangladeshi but well-versed in Arabic, ought to talk and lecture in Arabic. Examination of all these are to be in that language. This will enable us, our students to acquire better knowledge and ability in written and spoken Arabic so that they can complete successfully with those of the Arabic speaking peoples. It will facilitate teachers and students’ going on scholarship for higher studies to countries in the Arabic-speaking world and open up employment opportunities including better jobs. Furthermore, it will strengthen and make more intimate our ties with that world. And keeping in mind and paying respect to sentiments of our people and reverence to our past, history, heritage i.e. madrasha education, we require to keep at Dakhil and Alim, some present madrasha subjects as optional subjects beyond compulsory subjects of 1000 marks. 

Books and Syllabuses about Islamic studies should emphasize human aspects and other great qualities exemplified by our prophet. Prophets, Caliphs, Imams, King and leaders of Islam of entire Muslim World. “And the brilliant events of educative value from the long history of Islam as found in different books to bring to the fore the great human qualities that Islam created in the lives who accepted this great ideology” (from ‘Anecdotes of Islam’ by Principal Ebrahim Khan). Along with the above great philosophers, Sufis, scholars, etc. and Muslim contributions “to human knowledge in all departments of science and literature”, from the preface, “History of the Saracens”, Ameer Ali to inspire us to follow them and excel them in every field.

The book Islamiat” needs to contain some materials from ‘comparative Religion’. School religious books about Christaianity, Hinduism and Buddhism must have some pages on Islam. Similarly each of the other three religious books ought to have some information about other religions. Such arrangement on insertions of information about one another’s religion is imperative. Since followers of the four religions are fellow-citizens every group must know one another’s religion, way of life, etc. And Bangladesh being a democratic country cannot but provide channel for cementing further mutual respect, co-operation and understanding among its various communities.

In the secondary school religious education needs to be confined to class VII. Important matters of Islamic History, Muslim history and the history of Bangladesh are required to be distributed or spread over from earlier classes with 50 marks in each class. The present learning materials are to be limited to essentials of Islam. The twenty first century particularly demands that Islam ought to be presented on a rational basis as far as possible. As such it is necessary to be divested it of the miraculous or the mysterious to the extent practicable. It must not be projected only as a sum-total of decrees and commandments. And it is vital to impress upon all that Allah and Islam are not the same things but separate matters.

Is it not right that every student and educated person ought to read or study with understanding and reason the Quran and Hadith? Is it not imperative for the Moulanas and Imams of mosques to study them with discernment and good sense as they lecture or instruct Muslims?  Is it not binding on them that they should know about other religions of the country when they preach to Muslims or non-Muslims that Islam is the best religion in the world? Will not questions like why do we say prayer, why do we shun evil, why Islam is the best religion, why human beings are the best creation of Allah, which of the five pillars of Islam is most important or do they have equal importance, what is the significance of ‘Subhana Rabbil Azim, Subahana Rabbil Ala’. Do they mean simly purity and sacredness of Allah of whoch Allah is second to none, etc. will not such questions put Islam on a more rational basis? Will not answers to such questions certainly make for much favourable acceptance and greatly large scale following of Islam?

How is it that Muslims particularly the educated call or regard themselves so, when they or many or some of them observe the five pillars of Islam and Islamic way of life, yet they ignore knowing Islam and are satisfied with what they have known from their family or heard from Imams or Moulanas who however learned in their field do never exercise their understanding and reason or do read only those books written by persons of similar mentality and knowledge. In my thirties I used to ask myself dose the incomprehensible and infinitely big Allah, so big that one cannot even imagine Him. Such repeated query has enabled me to find out that we pray to Allah for our good, for our good, for our wellbeing. Most importantly, thinking hard again and again over the significance of Subhana Rabbil Azim, Subhana Rabbil Ala uttered silently by Muslim in Namaz. I have realized that the utterances Allah is the leader and number one, in purity signify purity of thought and action of Allah. Allah meant it to be the purpose of every Muslim, every human being and mankind. As mere purity gained by Namaz is of little or no use. He wants it be reflected like Him in thought and action, though man can never attain His purity. Ought not Islamic renaissance to take place in Bangladesh as Bangladesh’s Muslims are more intelligent, more liberal and mirror much more in their life the Islamic principle, the emblem of humanity and solidarity of all human being among Muslims of the globe.